was perplexed, half-sad, fond, a little pleased, and strangely
compassionate. It was Kathleen Eppes who sat beside him; the six years
were as utterly forgotten as the name of Magdalen's first lover. She
was a girl again, listening--with a heart that fluttered, I dare
say--to the wild talk, the mad dithyrambics of a big, blundering boy.

The ludicrous horror of it stunned Mr. Woods.

He could no more have told her of her mistake than he could have
struck her in the face.

"Kathleen--!" said he, vaguely.

"Let me think!--ah, let me think, Billy!" she pleaded, in a flutter of
joy and amazement. "Go away, boy dear!--Go away for a little and
let me think! I'm not an emotional woman, but I'm on the verge of
hysterics now, for--for several reasons. Go in to breakfast, Billy!
I--I want to be alone. You've made me very proud and--and sorry, I
think, and glad, and--and--oh, I don't know, boy dear. But please go
now--please!"

Billy went.

In the living-hall he paused to inspect a picture with peculiar
interest. Since Kathleen cared for him (he thought, rather forlornly),
he must perjure himself in as plausible a manner as might be possible;
please God, having done what he had done, he would lie to her like a
gentleman and try to make her happy.

A vision in incredible violet ruffles, coming down to breakfast, saw
him, and paused on the stairway, and flushed and laughed deliciously.

Poor Billy stared at her; and his heart gave a great bound and then
appeared to stop for an indefinite time.

"Good Lord!" said Mr. Woods, in his soul. "And I thought I was an ass
last night! Why, last night, in comparison, I displayed intelligence
that was almost human! Oh, Peggy, Peggy! if I only dared tell you what
I think of you, I believe I would gladly die afterward--yes, I'm sure
I would. You really haven't any right to be so beautiful!--it isn't
fair to us, Peggy!"

But the vision was peeping over the bannisters at him, and the
vision's eyes were sparkling with a lucent mischief and a wonderful,
half-hushed contralto was demanding of him:

"Oh, where have you been, Billy boy, Billy boy?
Oh, where have you been, charming Billy?"

And Billy's baritone answered her:

"I've been to seek a wife--"

and broke off in a groan.

"Good Lord!" said Mr. Woods.

It was a ludicrous business, if you will. Indeed, it was vastly
humorous--was it not?--this woman's thinking a man's love might by any
chance endure through six whole